Utility Week Podcast

On our latest podcast, we round up some of the biggest talking points from Utility Week Live. Utility Week editor-in-chief James Wallin chats to Anglian Water chief executive Mark Thurston about navigating unprecedented change in the sector and what he is hoping for in the upcoming transition plan. Wallin is then joined by the current crop of regulators, including Ofwat CEO Chris Walters, Environment Agency director of water Helen Wakeham, and WICS CEO David Satti. The panel of regulators reflect on the recommendations made by the Cunliffe Review and explore how they fit into a new regulatory landscape for water.

On our latest podcast, we are joined by the team at SP Electricity North West. Utility Week editor-in-chief James Wallin chats to key figures at the electricity network about the evolution of its distribution system operator (DSO) and in particular the concept of a “social DSO”. To find out more about this concept and how it works in practice tune into this conversation with Paul Auckland, head of DSO & regulation; Katherine Horne, social DSO manager and Samantha Loukes, head of customer inclusion.

Renewable UK CEO Tara Singh joins Rob Horgan and James Wallin on The Utility Week Podcast to unpick the fallout from the local election results. Having previously served as an adviser to David Cameron during his term in No. 10, Singh provides insight on the inner workings of government. She also discusses the different parties’ energy policies and the challenges that the sector faces in engaging with politicians on the different sides of the political landscape, both at a local and national level.

Energy Systems Catapult chief executive Guy Newey joins the Utility Week podcast to reflect on a bumper week of energy announcements. Alongside Utility Week’s Rob Horgan and James Wallin, Newey gives his take on Ed Miliband’s plan to break the link between electricity and gas prices; delves into the Reformed National Pricing delivery plan; and discusses the fallout from the government’s long-awaited review of Ofgem. During the second half of the episode, Newey also reveals what is keeping the Catapult busy, outlining work it is doing in flexibility space and its role as part of the Energy Networks Innovation Taskforce.

The latest episode of the Utility Week Podcast examines the biggest stories from the past two weeks. During the first half of the episode, Utility Week editor-in-chief James Wallin speaks with former Clean Power 2030 advisor Simon Harrison and Andreas Schroeder, head of energy analytics at ICIS about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and what it means for the energy sector. Wallin and Utility Week deputy editor Rob Horgan then pore over the recent CMA announcements, after the country’s four gas distribution networks appealed Ofgem’s final determinations of their business plans; and the CMA revealed its final rulings on the five appellant water companies’ plans.

The latest episode of the Utility Week Podcast examines the biggest stories from the past fortnight. Utility Week deputy editor Rob Horgan is joined by James Wallin, editor-in-chief, to pore over the sector’s biggest talking points. The duo discuss Engie’s acquisition of UKPN and reflect on the Channel 4 docudrama Dirty Business.

Utility Week deputy editor Rob Horgan is joined by James Wallin, editor-in-chief, and Tom Grimwood, insights editor, to pore over the sector’s biggest talking points. The trio reflect on two big announcements which will have a bearing on the country’s Clean Power 2030 target. First, they reflect on a record-breaking contracts for difference auction which procured an impressive amount of renewable generation, before switching their focus to the connections process which has suffered fresh delays.

The latest episode of the Utility Week Podcast examines the biggest stories from the past fortnight. Utility Week deputy editor Rob Horgan is joined by James Wallin, editor-in-chief, to pore over the sector’s biggest talking points. The duo reflect on two massive government publications in the shape of the Warm Homes Plan and the water white paper, weighing up the pros and cons of both documents.

The latest episode of the Utility Week Podcast examines the biggest stories from the start of 2026. Utility Week deputy editor Rob Horgan is joined by James Wallin, editor-in-chief, to pore over the sector’s biggest talking points. The duo give their early reflections on the record-breaking offshore wind contracts for difference auction; unpick Chris Stark’s claims that supply chain constraints are easing; and discuss the challenges of delivering new reservoirs. They then delve into the biggest talking point of the year and give their first-hand experience of South East Water’s handling of its ongoing supply woes.

The latest episode of the Utility Week Podcast examines the biggest challenges facing the water sector, from regulatory reform to infrastructure delivery. Utility Week deputy editor Rob Horgan is joined by James Wallin, editor-in-chief, to pore over the sector’s asks ahead of a pivotal 2026. The first half of the episode features clips from top industry executives who spoke at the recent Utility Week Forum. This includes: Southern Water chief executive Lawrence Gosden responding to his citizen’s arrest; Northumbrian Water chief executive Heidi Mottram looking ahead to the government’s white paper; and Water UK’s director of regulation Jeevan Jones warning that the sector’s new regulator cannot just be a rebadging of Ofwat. The second half of the episode then focusses on the current challenge of delivering major infrastructure projects, where Utility Week’s water correspondent Ruth Williams interviews Thames Water’s strategic water resources director Neville Muncaster.

The Market Wide Half-Hourly Settlement (MHHS) programme has just passed a key milestone with the first cohort of suppliers starting the migration process. But how hard has it been to get to this point? When will the benefits be felt for suppliers and customers? And how difficult a decision was it to push the programme back by six and half months? These are some of the questions discussed with Elexon chief executive Peter Stanley on the latest episode of the Utility Week Podcast.

How feasible is the Clean Power 2030 target? Is the next Contracts for Difference auction round really make or break? And what impact will supply chain pressures have? These are some of the questions discussed on this new podcast to mark the launch of Utility Week Clean Power.

Could we achieve as much as a 10% energy saving on the path to 2030 through tackling inefficiencies on the system? This is the bold claim of a new thinktank comprised of six energy policy experts. The Utility Week Podcast welcomes the Energy Geeks - Eric Brown, Maxine Frerk, Roger Hey, Laura Sandys, Steven Steer and Alan Whitehead. Listen to their views on why the smart meter rollout should be given to networks, voltage level reduced and operating standards re-examined, among other topics. Download the first report from the Energy Geeks here. https://utilityweek.co.uk/delivering-customer-cost-carbon-and-connections-dividends/

The water system is broken - we're told so every day. Utility Week editor James Wallin and chief correspondent Ruth Williams examine this myth and why it has taken hold - with help from senior figures at Wessex Water, SES Water, Ofwat and Thames Tideway.

The Utility Week team talk to Octopus Energy CEO Greg Jackson, Kayte O’Neill of the Electricity System Operator and Ofgem’s Akshay Kaul. Topics discussed include locational electricity pricing, the future of heat and the creation of an energy system operator, among others.